AGCO announced Friday it has reached an agreement with Woodbine Entertainment following an investigation into multiple equine fatalities during fall 2024. Woodbine did not contest the regulatory findings.
Between Oct. 28 and Dec. 15, 19 horses sustained injuries while racing and training on Woodbine’s synthetic surface. Ten of those horses required euthanasia. Two horses died on Nov. 9, prompting officials to cancel the remainder of that day’s racing card.
The breakdowns came as a surprise to industry observers, as Woodbine’s Tapeta surface had previously maintained a reputation as one of North America’s safest racing surfaces.
The investigation concluded that Woodbine’s track maintenance practices were inadequate and inconsistent with manufacturer guidelines. Regulators identified substandard grooming practices, irregular surface depth measurements, undertrained personnel, absence of standard maintenance protocols, and improperly maintained track equipment.
As part of the settlement, Woodbine has agreed to implement several new safety measures, including independent oversight.
The track will retain two internationally recognized track safety experts for a two-year period to conduct quarterly safety assessments of the Tapeta surface. Additionally, Woodbine will form a Track Surfaces Committee to monitor track safety and make recommendations for improvements throughout the racing season.
Failure to comply with these measures will result in regulatory action, including a $200,000 fine.
Woodbine Entertainment will also make a $200,000 donation to support equine aftercare and welfare in Ontario, with equal contributions to the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
Prior to reaching the agreement, Woodbine had already implemented several measures to enhance track safety. These included recruiting a full-time track maintenance specialist and renovating the track near the five-and-a-half furlong pole to improve consistency and drainage.
The AGCO will implement its own measures, including strengthened veterinary oversight, increased scrutiny of horses returning from the veterinarian’s list, and new guidelines regarding racing frequency and the use of certain therapeutic treatments.
In December, Woodbine announced that horses which raced in the previous 14 days would no longer be eligible to compete, nor would those who had received an intra-articular fetlock injection during that same time frame.
